Conflicting reports emerge after explosions reported in southern Iran; US denies involvement

TEHRAN / WASHINGTON, Jul 9: Conflicting reports emerged Thursday evening after Iranian media reported explosions in several southern provinces, while Iran's state broadcaster denied that blasts had occurred in several key locations and a US official said Washington was not conducting military strikes.

The semi-official Mehr News Agency reported that explosions were heard in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas in Hormozgan province. It later reported six explosions in Bushehr and the nearby city of Choghadak in Bushehr province.

However, Iran's state television disputed reports of explosions in several southern cities, saying no blasts had been reported in Bandar Abbas, Qeshm, Sirik or Jask. The broadcaster's statement did not include Konarak or Bushehr, where reports of explosions continued to circulate.

Amid speculation over the cause of the reported blasts, a US official told CNN that the US military was not conducting strikes in Iran.

There has been no official Iranian explanation for the reported explosions, and the situation remains unclear amid conflicting accounts from Iranian media outlets.